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lbarsk's review against another edition
4.0
SO GOOD! I think that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation, should read the book because it serves as a really good example of what Actually Intersectional Feminism looks like. Shiri Eisner takes a really critical look at a lot of different factors that play into modern-day culture and thought surrounding not only bisexuality, but also just how sexuality is conceived. Also Eisner's discourse on gender is REAL CRUCIAL FOR ALL FOLKS TO READ to get a better understanding of their own genders and how they might define themselves, and the discussion of how individuals become racialized toward the end is fascinating and scary and really eye-opening.
The only reason I'm giving this a 4 and not a 5 is because at times things did get dense. I know it's an academic text, so I wasn't surprised by that, but since the title is "Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution," at parts the actual urgency behind the "revolution" wasn't there. OTHERWISE THOUGH super super good, highly recommend.
The only reason I'm giving this a 4 and not a 5 is because at times things did get dense. I know it's an academic text, so I wasn't surprised by that, but since the title is "Bi: Notes for a Bisexual Revolution," at parts the actual urgency behind the "revolution" wasn't there. OTHERWISE THOUGH super super good, highly recommend.
lyzsander's review against another edition
2.0
There are a lot of quotes from this book that seem okay, and that makes you think "huh! Maybe I should read this book" and then you do - and it's a huge mess. The worst part was the chapter on bisexual men, which was contradictory at best, biphobic (ha!) at worst
hidingincorners's review against another edition
4.0
This sums up the landscape of bi discourse, community, and activism (as of 2013, at least) so well. I think she really touches on most of the most pertinent topics and does so with nuance. I learned a lot. When I think back on my I'm-an-ally self from 2013 and all the things I didn't realize, even up til 2016, I am floored that she is talking about them with the deftness I'd expect to see in 2021. Like, racialization, colonialism, captialism, misogyny, monosexism, transphobia and how they're all intertwined. You can really see the roots of current TERFdom in her discussions of gay assimilationist movements and feminist movements of the 00s and early 10s. Great work.
lattelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Being what I would consider bisexual myself, this book helped me confront my internalized biphobia. Eisner's book is described to be a radical bisexual manifesto, and I would have to agree wholeheartedly with that notion. Part of what makes this book four stars to me is due to the fact that it is between "Bisexuality 101" and "Graduate Bisexual Studies" (which are categories I literally just made up). This book incorporates a glossary and a trigger warning, both of which I appreciate, and also discusses different bisexual movements, campaigns, and ideologies.
What I appreciated most, though, is that Eisner is Middle Eastern and Mizrahi (an Arabic Jew), and therefore takes a more global approach at bisexuality, while also giving an outsider's perspective on the US. Given how many texts that I've read are about the United States' activism and feminism, it was so, so refreshing to read something that was not US-centric. If I were still TA-ing for our Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies classes, I would highly recommend this book to our professors, even if it was to just hand out the "What is Bisexuality?" chapter. But, regardless that I'm no longer a TA, I'd still recommend this to anybody who is interested in intersectional and inclusive feminism, and wishes to analyze different facets and campaigns of a group's movements.
Get the full review here!
What I appreciated most, though, is that Eisner is Middle Eastern and Mizrahi (an Arabic Jew), and therefore takes a more global approach at bisexuality, while also giving an outsider's perspective on the US. Given how many texts that I've read are about the United States' activism and feminism, it was so, so refreshing to read something that was not US-centric. If I were still TA-ing for our Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies classes, I would highly recommend this book to our professors, even if it was to just hand out the "What is Bisexuality?" chapter. But, regardless that I'm no longer a TA, I'd still recommend this to anybody who is interested in intersectional and inclusive feminism, and wishes to analyze different facets and campaigns of a group's movements.
Get the full review here!
arigibberish's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I want to be part of the bi revolution
sylviaae's review against another edition
DNF. I was going to finish it but as soon as I picked it up again, I found it very boring. I think this could be a great start for someone who has little to no knowledge of queer feminist activism, but for me I didn't learn much and the connections between different movements were pretty obvious. I also thought the book was kind of poorly edited, there were some typos, incorrect capitalizations, and even some factual inaccuracies (as far as I am aware), so for me I really began to lose enthusiasm for reading after noticing those flaws. But again, this would be a good place to start for someone who is just dipping their toe into the subject matter.